First of all, these boys are never gonna get the little sister they need to keep them in line if they keep cock-blocking poor Colin! Every time I was about to get a little romance with my mystery - Henry struck.

Secondly, a crocodile as a PET? Have Emily & Colin LOST THEIR MINDS?! You can't give your kids everything they want just because they want it, especially a man-eating CROCODILE! This is another reason they need a daughter.

Thirdly, I'm going to need Tasha to take a break from mysteries and write me the steamy Duke Jeremy historical romance I've always wanted. I SO cannot wait for him to meet his match and get his HEA. He's quickly become my favorite character and doesn't get NEAR enough word count in this book. May I suggest his love interest be named Deidre? **batting my eyelashes and fanning myself***

Overall, I liked this installment better than its predecessors. I think it's because the setting (a castle in Scotland with Jeremy's kooky aunts) and subject matter (death by a loch) where a little gothic and witchy and I'm down for that. I was able to hang in there with the secondary story too, unlike in previous books where I've abandoned it altogether and just read Emily's chapters.

I still need more Colin & Emily romance though! Can't get enough of that. Glad the boys are getting into the family business as well in this one and that was fun. The Aunts need their own spin off series for sure. They are definitely up to something, and I need to know what. They'd be a great addition to Jeremy's steamy historical romance too! The perfect instigators for all kinds of hijinks.

A Cold Highland Wind is the 17th (!) installment of the Lady Emily Mystery series by Tasha Alexander. If you missed any - or all - of the previous books in this entertaining historical mystery series, never fear. The mysteries in each book totally stand alone. I read books 14 and 15 and thoroughly enjoyed each. The three books I read had dual timelines that were connected, but it wasn't confusing at all. This time Lady Emily and family find death in the beautiful Scottish Highlands.

Lady Emily, her husband Colin Hargreaves and their three boys are visiting their dear friend Jeremy Sheffield, Duke of Bainbridge, at his estate Cairnfarn Castle in the Scottish Highlands in 1905. A boisterous party at the beginning of their vacation ends in bloodshed when the duke’s gamekeeper is found murdered on the banks of the loch. Angus Sinclair had a number of people who might like to see him dead. And just what did the runic symbol on a stone that was left on his forehead (the part that wasn't bashed in by a rock) signify? Meanwhile, in 1676, Lady Rossalyn MacAllister, widowed wife of the Laird of Cairnfarn Castle, is thrown out of her home by the new laird. Her only companion is Tansy, a young Moorish slave who helps her secretly retrieve her prized, strange books from the castle. After a poppet and daisy wheel are discovered at their cottage, Lady McAllister is accused of witchcraft. What is the link between Lady McAllister's books and the murder of Angus Sinclair? Lady Emily must follow the trail of secret motives, a hidden affair and a mysterious stranger to find justice for the murdered gamekeeper.

The dual timeline at Cairnfarn Castle is told from two different viewpoints: Tansy, the Moorish companion of Lady McAllister, and of course Lady Emily. Both timelines seemed to be unrelated at first except for the location, but the author manages to bring them together for a satisfying conclusion. Tansy was stolen from Tunisia and sold as a slave; she eventually ends up as Lady McAllister's companion, which really wasn't much different than slavery. Rossalyn was pretty much useless without Tansy, who did her best to keep everything going for the two of them when they were kicked out of the castle. This was a time in Scotland when many people were accused of witchcraft and put to death. When Rossalyn is accused of witchcraft, Tansy must make the decision of helping the clueless woman or just keeping her mouth shut. Though that timeline was riveting, I especially enjoyed that of Lady Emily and her lovely family. As Jeremy pointed out to Colin and Emily, they are the only two he knows who have people dropping dead wherever they go! Emily and Colin still have that "spark" even with three precocious, whipsmart boys and always dealing with murder wherever they go. The spotlight is on Emily, of course. She's a modern woman...she doesn't prescribe to the 1905 notion that men make the rules and speak for their wives. She's an excellent interrogator and has a quick mind. I enjoy the little bits of intimacy between Emily and Colin, though they are usually interrupted by children! My favorite supporting characters are the boys Richard, Henry and Tom, His Grace Jeremy and Jeremy's great-aunts, who are referred to by everyone as The Greats. All are good for sometimes needed comic relief; The Greats are especially hysterical. Oh, and I musn't forget Cedric the Crocodile, who is the pet of one.of the children and is led about on a leash! The mystery was a great one, though I pretty much guessed the killer after reading one-third of the book. It was still highly entertaining, and all of the suspects were fully fleshed out and had a good motive to kill Angus, who had quite the secret of his own. Though this is the 17th book in the series, it is in no way stale. I'll be reading the further adventures of Lady Emily and Company as long as Tasha Alexander keeps writing them!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for my complimentary copy of A Cold Highland Wind. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoy a good mystery and I adore these Lady Emily Mysteries. Tasha Alexander writes with the same twists and turns as Agatha Christie. This story is told from 2 POV, the current time, 1905 via Emily’s voice and 1676 via Tansy’s voice. Both stories are connected through witchcraft and suspicion.
As always, I was surprised when the murderer was revealed.

When a young Gamekeeper is murdered, everyone in the small town of Cairnfarn is under suspicion. Lady Emily and her husband Colin, work diligently to solve the mystery despite having to also keep their 3 sons safe. I love how they brought their pet crocodile with them to the Scottish Highlands. The boys offer up many laughs throughout the story.

I enjoyed the authors note and her thoughts on freedom. I wholeheartedly agree, how can someone actually be free when they so far from home with no means to return.

This was not my favorite Tasha Alexander book. As with other of the author’s books, this one has a story told in each of two timelines while sharing the same location. Emily, our hero, is visiting Cairnfarn Scotland in 1905 just in time for the community’s ceilidh, a festive party of dancing, drinking, and socializing. The next day, however, Emily learned that one of the partiers was found dead: the Laird’s gamekeeper.

In order for Emily to get to the bottom of the murder, she had to unwrap a mystery inside a conundrum. First off, the deceased was believed to have been a man who grew up in Cairnfarn and moved to Edinburgh many years ago. During the course of the investigation it was revealed that the deceased was not who he had claimed to be. A woman who knew the young man before he left town spoke authoritatively that this was not the man who had been her fiancé. In spite of that, a number of young women in town were smitten by the man, now known as a Mr. Gordon, and were vying for his attention

The second story focuses on Lady Rossalyn, the young widow of old Laird and her companion and former slave, a Moorish woman named Tasnim (but whom those of Cairnfern called Tansy. At the seath of her husband, Rossalyn and Tansy were kicked out of the estate house by the Laird’s son by his first wife. Rossalyn was left impoverished and struggling to survive. On top of pervading basic necessities, the two women were shunned by most of the villagers. Their plight takes up most of the focus of the second storyline.

My problem with the book was that the connection between the two story threads was not apparent for most of the book. Emily’s investigation of the murder captured my interest while the plight of Rossalyn and Tansy did not.

Eventually, of course, the connection between the two stories becomes clear, but by that time the samage had been done. My lack of interest in the ancient story detracted so much from my enjoyment of the book as a whole that it seemed anticlimactic.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading this book. Tasha Alexander is a very talented writer who can craft sentences, paragraphs, and chapters that are a joy to read. It was simply that in this case the story arc of the ancient tale did not capture my interest until it was too late.

Tasha Alexander cannot write Lady Emily mysteries fast enough for me! I discovered her work when I needed an audio for a long road trip. After having her keep me company while driving, I kept reading and listening. Such a masterful story teller placing the stories in interesting places. This one taking place in Scotland warms my heart as Scotland is one of my favorite places! I love the relationship between Emily and Colin--the respect and admiration that have for one another and the sheer delight their boys add to the mix. Jeremy is always a favorite and one of these days, I'm convinced Ms. Alexander is going to send him head over heels and someone is going to leave him speechless! Another hallmark of these books is the story interwoven into the main story. I'm always left wondering how they will come together--and they always do. Treat yourself to Lady Emily and her world!

An enjoyable historical mystery set in the Scottish highlands with two timelines. One takes place in 1905: Lady Emily Ashton, her husband Colin Hargreaves and their three sons visit Cairnfarn Castle, the home of their friend Jeremy, Duke of Bainbridge. Following a ceilidh, the duke's gamekeeper is found dead and Emily and Colin are asked to investigate the crime. The second timeline is set in 1676 and involves the suspicion of witchcraft amongst local women. In the author's notes, she says 'between 1563 and 1736, people in Scotland were accused of witchcraft at rates up to five times greater than in the rest of Europe.' Those were mad times.

I received an arc of this new mystery from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks! My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you @Minotaur_Books and @Netgalley for the #gifted ALC/ARC of A COLD HIGHLAND WIND!

I requested this book somehow not knowing that it was the 17th in a series but coming in cold was not a problem at all. A COLD HIGHLAND WIND is a delightful historical cozy mystery set in Scotland. The absolute best part of the audiobook is that I got to listen to a lovely Scottish accent narrate the book. I was in heaven!

There are two timelines in the book. The first is in 1905 Scotland as Lady Emily, her beloved husband Colin and their three boys visit a childhood friend Jeremy, Duke of Bainbridge at his Scottish estate, Cairnfarn Castle. The young boys are immediately swept up into Scottish mythology and the talk of faeries and kelpies are sprinkled throughout the scenes where the boys appear.
Their visit is, of course, marred by the discovery of Jeremey’s gamekeeper found murdered by the loch. Lady Emily and Colin are immediately on the case to find out who murdered Angus Sinclair.

The second timeline is in 1676 following Lady Rosalind MacAllister being ousted from Cairfarn Castle by her stepson and forced to live in the village with her Moorish slave Tansy. As Rosalind and Tansy attempt to settle into village life, rumors and fear of witches begin to spread.

I always find stories of witch hunts interesting but feel like the second timeline didn’t add much to the story. It would have been a wonderful mystery if it only stayed in the 1905 timeline. I found the characters in the 1905 timeline much more engaging and more dynamic, especially Jeremy’s elderly spinster aunts who called themselves The Greats. If I am even half as sassy as them in my 80s, I will be so pleased!

A COLD HIGHLAND WIND is out now!

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In a long series like Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily series, there will be some books that are more ho hum than others, and some that are just simply more – yummy. This is a yummy installment. Lady Emily and her family are in Scotland at their friend Jeremy’s estate (aka castle). Their boys are loving hearing about the faeries and kelpies, not to mention enjoying Jeremy’s “menagerie” (what we would consider a private zoo). The action opens at a community party or ceilidh, where everyone gathers to hear stories, drink some rum punch, and dance.

Most unfortunately the boys discover the body of the estate’s gamekeeper when they are out looking for kelpies the next morning. Because Alexander has deftly set up the parameters of the village community with her opening scene (it’s really a master class on how to set a stage), the reader quickly follows as Colin and Emily interview and meet suspects or witnesses like the local female doctor, the vicar and his wife, the lovely housemaid, and the denizens of Jeremy’s estate who include some of his staff as well as his great aunts, who are a hoot.

As Alexander always does, she includes a parallel story. Lady Emily exists in 1905; Alexander also takes the reader back to 1676. She’s following the story of a “Moorish” maid, Tansy, and her mistress, Rossalyn, who has been expelled from her home by her brother in law after the death of her beloved husband. Tansy had served as Rossalyn’s maid and had come to her a slave, kidnapped from the streets of Tunis. Though Rossalyn had set her free, she nevertheless keeps her as her maid, and truly, Tansy has few options.

Then the two are expelled from the castle, they are granted the use of a tiny cottage where the two women, inexperienced in the household arts, attempt to set up a home. Tansy still takes on the lion’s share of the work, and her relationship with Rossalyn, of necessity and circumstance, begins to change. Her desire to be treated as an equal, to return to her homeland and her family, to follow her own religion, bubble up in her. Rossalyn accepts the changes in one way, but in the most important of ways, she continues to treat Tansy like a servant.

The two story threads are linked by location and by the local mythology. In Tansy and Rossalyn’s time there was a great fear of witches, and there’s a fair number of charms and talismans (as well as a Shakespeare folio that gets carted around) dotting the landscape. In the present there are rune stones left behind by the Vikings and a missing copy of Jane Eyre, not to mention the kelpies. The death Colin and Emily are investigating is complicated by the fact that the dead man turns out to be someone other than he said he was, and by the fact that he was apparently catnip to all the single women in town.

Alexander has a light hand and a way with plot and character that make the whole enterprise look easy, which I’m sure it isn’t. These are intelligent and captivating books which compel the reader’s attention. Both plot lines are wrapped up with satisfying resolutions, and I am still not weary, seventeen books in, of Lady Emily and her charming family.

A Cold Highland Wind by Tasha Alexander is a story told in two timelines: one, 1905, current for Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves; and another in 1676 when the Highland were a far different place. They are bound together by a folio of Shakespeare’s works, but the people in 1905 had no idea of the tragedy it had witnessed. Emily and Colin were in the Highlands visiting Emily’s childhood friend, Jeremy, who was a duke and lived in a castle. They had brought their three sons, who were all thrilled to be there but with astoundingly different reasons. They were ten now and independent and intelligent. Emily and Colin’s marriage had stood the test of time and children. As they enjoyed their holiday, they came to know many of the area’s residents, including the gamekeeper, Angus Sinclair. The boys had found his body and wisely split up: one guarding the body, one coming for their parents, and the last going to the village for an adult with some authority. Angus had been an excellent gamekeeper and had an interesting story: he had run away from the village when he was eleven and made his way in the world, eventually getting an education and become a solicitor. Then, for some unknown reason he had returned to his roots and was now dead. The second timeline was during the infamous witch burnings in Scotland and I was filled with dread each time I read one of the chapters in that time, knowing what was coming.

Alexander does a fabulous job with this series. In this story, the murderer came as a shock and the outcome of the witch story as an even bigger one. Alexander has been writing the main characters for so long that she had them down pat, which is why she has so many fans. I wouldn’t call her books cozy mysteries but there is a definite sense of returning to spend time with people you know. The plots are historically accurate but with twists and turns than leave the reader breathless. Including the children, and watching them grow is an added bonus. This was an excellent book. Thank you, Tasha Alexander.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Cold Highland Wind by St. Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #TashaAlexander #AColdHighlandWind

Tasha Alexander just keeps getting better and better as time goes by. So often, when an author has written a series over several years, the characters can get old--to the readers, that is--and it is almost a mercy when the series is finally wound up for good. That is NOT the case here, with this author and this series. Despite my not having read all the books in this series, I wasn't finding my floundering in a sea of characters, places, etc.; this series is friendly to the casual reader who skips around in a series! Easy to pick up is a wonderful thing in any book. Lady Emily and her family are well drawn characters, as are the others rounding out this book.

All in all, a very welcome addition to this series.

a wonderful colorful story in Scotland, with interesting and complex characters. Murder and witchcraft, mysteries abound. An unforgettable story that is a real page turner and a must read!

Have never read any of the other books in this series so came into this blind. I enjoyed the character of Emily and her mystery solving ways. In some ways she is either a female Holmes or a younger and more vibrant Marple.

If you are a fan of British mystery you cannot help but notice the nuances that appear. Oft times I felt there was more than a little of certain Poirot episodes or a Marple episode or a Holmes episode. If you are a big fan of those classics that were aired so faithfully on tv in the 80's then you will recognize these bits as you enjoy this story.

The mystery story is very complex. It leaves the reader wondering exactly what happened until it is finally revealed in a very Marple fashion. The characters of Emily and Colin are enjoyable and although extremely detailed, those chapters are entertaining to read.

The issue here deals with the companion story. Every other chapter is a stand alone story about a woman and her Moorish 'slave'. It may be accurately detailed and it may mean a lot to the author and that is great. It was completely meaningless to the story. If Irene had turned out to be 250 years old then that every other chapter would have worked. In this case it doesn't. You have a very wordy mystery and a book about life in Scotland in the late 17th century. One comes to a conclusion. The other simply causes confusion. Probably would have been better to write a Tansy book as a stand alone and let the mystery be a mystery.

Fans of this series will want to get this book. Fans of well described mysteries will enjoy this book. Fans of Scottish fiction will enjoy this book.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

I really enjoyed A Cold Highland Wind by Tasha Alexander. It was a dual timeline/pov. Most of the time, I find myself connecting more to one timeline than the other but in this book they were both highly entertaining. The characters are likeable and humorous. The storyline is fast paced, mysterious and has some great twists and reveals. I would highly recommend that you add this #historicalmystery to your spooky season #tbr.

I will be posting this review on Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5864478373

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx8u7tyP3N2/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

And Amazon

* I reviewed this arc for SMP Influencer Program.

Lady Emily and Colin, along with their 3 sons (and pet crocodile), go on holiday to visit friend Jeremy, the Duke of Bainbridge, at his Scottish estate. What follows is a twisty tale of murder, mistaken identity, passion, and hidden motives. Wonderfully drawn characters (Jeremy’s two aunts delightful), gorgeous scenery, and lots of humor make this a solid addition to the series. The 17th century portions were an interesting and haunting picture of life (and the treatment of women) at that time, especially during the witch hunts. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Another wonderful book in this series,Love the writing the location.the characters.Thisis a series I often recommend and I really enjoy.#netgalley #st.martins

This is a fabulous series and if you have not read from the beginning, I urge you to do so! I have listened to them all on audible and hope to do that as well with this one!

Lady Emily and her family travel on a vacation to her good friend's Jeremy's castle. Of course, there cannot be a story without a murder!

Witchcraft, the past and the present meld altogether in a journey of trying to find a murderer and what really happened!

The setting is beautiful, as is the cover. I was swept away to the beautiful Scottish highlands of my ancestors, and I loved every minute of it. There are two periods: the early 1900s (main timeline) and the late 1600s (for a backstory of witch trials in that area). Both stories are compelling and consistently medium-paced, though I’m not sure I enjoyed the frequent back-and-forth between the two.

I adored Lady Emily. She gets the job done with a soft touch and an empathetic heart. Her partnership with her husband, Colin, is just beautiful. He has enormous respect for Emily, and that always shows. I even love that her sons have a pet crocodile named Cedric. It threw in a bit of the unexpected and made me laugh.

The mystery is a true whodunit with lots of red herrings and misdirections. It reminded me of Agatha Christie’s mystery style, and I always enjoy that. It also can be read as a stand-alone even though it’s the 17th book in the series, which is good since this was my first Lady Emily mystery.

I look forward to picking up more Lady Emily mysteries in the future!

I’ve enjoyed several books in the Lady Emily series, and this is another excellent installment led by the feisty, brilliant heroine who bucks societal norms in 1905. One of the great things about these books is that they can easily be read as standalones, but if you’re already familiar with the characters, each book adds a new layer to an endearing and memorable cast.

In this latest installment, we get to spend more time with Lady Emily’s family including her dashing husband Colin, who she has solved many mysteries with in the past, and her three precocious sons who are all close in age, as they embark on a holiday to her childhood friend Duke Jeremy’s castle in the Scottish Highlands. When the castle’s gamekeeper is found brutally murdered with a runic stone left on his forehead, Lady Emily and Colin set out to unravel a mystery which becomes more complicated by the day as they learn the gamekeeper is not who he pretended to be, and that Cairnfarn Castle has a dark history steeped in witchcraft.

As always with the Lady Emily mysteries, the characters are the highlight for me, and I really enjoyed getting to know her sons better and being privy to their shenanigans, including those with their pet crocodile, Cedric. There are some great scenes between Emily and Colin, which always give me butterflies. I’ve decided they are one of my favorite historical power couples! We are also introduced to Jeremy’s two great aunts (the Greats) who are an absolute hoot and I hope we get to see more of them in future books.

My only complaint is that the dual timelines didn’t really come together as neatly as I had hoped. In fact in the end it was a bit of a stretch…. but the entertaining cast of characters, superb writing, and atmospheric setting make up for it!

If you enjoy history, small Scottish towns, and solving mysteries alongside a wholesome, dynamic family with a dash of tartan plaid, I think you’ll really enjoy it!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC for review!!

A Cold Highland Wind by Tasha Alexander is another intriguing Lady Emily mystery, full of many red-herrings, a colorful cast of suspects, and an exploration into the culture and history.
I enjoyed reading this book very much, the author creates compelling characters in both time periods and there is enough mystery, intrigue and suspense to keep one saying just one more chapter until the book is finished.
I felt that the setting of the novel was incredible.
Just an all around amazing story.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Lady Emily, her husband, Colin and their children are off on their family vacation to Cairfarn Castle. Not long after they arrive a body is discovered. It is the gameskeeper of the castle. He has been found murdered on the banks of the loch. But clues to his death go all the way back to the 1600s and the accused witch, Lady Macallister

I love anything set in Scotland. And this is a good read, just not the best. It just felt a bit disjointed in places. It flashes back to the 1600s and sometimes that is a bit confusing…NOW! This could have been me. It comes out in the end, but I just had issues with it during the book.

I did enjoy the history thrown into this tale…add in the hidden motives and all the secrets and you have a pretty good tale…Lots of intrigue and puzzles to decipher!

The narrator, Bianca Amato did a wonderful job, especially pronouncing Loch correctly! Kudos! (I practiced every time she said it…still can’t do it right!)

Need a unique mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.